Sony's decision to [article id="1629472"]overhaul the "Spider-Man" movie franchise[/article] and replace director Sam Raimi and star Tobey Maguire was met with some skepticism from fans, but the film studio has already made significant strides by hiring [article id="1633339"]"(500) Days of Summer" filmmaker Marc Webb[/article] as the reboot's new director. While a replacement hasn't been hired for Maguire, there's no shortage of actors who would like to swing into the role of Peter Parker -- including "High School Musical" star Zac Efron.

When MTV News spoke with the actor on the red carpet of the Academy Awards on Sunday (March 7), Efron emphasized that he would love to star as Marvel's beloved superhero icon. "Are you kidding? It would be a dream come true," he said. "I think it would be an honor. I would tear it up."

Efron revealed that his desire to play Spider-Man isn't based on the role's newfound availability, but his status as a lifelong fan of the character. "I've been a fan of Spider-Man since the beginning," he said. "I remember being 6 years old and tearing open that comic book. I couldn't get enough. It would be a dream."

Despite his affinity for Spider-Man as a character and franchise, Efron isn't certain that he has a legitimate shot at playing the role. "I've got to be honest. I don't know if it's a reality. I can't really say," he surmised. "[But] it would be an honor."

Efron's chances of playing Spider-Man are helped by his working relationship with Brian Michael Bendis, the comic book scribe responsible for the character's "Ultimate Spider-Man" relaunch. Efron and Bendis are collaborating with one another for Universal's "Fire," based on Bendis' graphic novel that thrusts a college student into a spy role. While Bendis has stated that he's spoken with Sony about the new direction of the "Spider-Man" films, there's currently no official word on Efron's involvement.

Other young actors have been rumored for the role of Spider-Man, including Webb's "(500) Days of Summer" collaborator Joseph Gordon-Levitt and "Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief" star Logan Lerman.

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